Name: Apple Cranberry Harvest Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 18
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 cups all purpose flour; 2 cups sugar; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg; 4 eggs; 1 cup vegetable oil; 2 teaspoons vanilla; 2 cups finely chopped Granny Smith apples; 1 cup chopped cranberries; 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional); 1 cup packed light brown sugar; 6 tablespoons butter; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 2 tablespoons heavy cream

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APPLE CRANBERRY HARVEST CAKE – This irresistible cake is made with Granny Smith apples, fresh cranberries, walnuts, and cinnamon, then topped with a delicious brown sugar glaze. It’s the perfect cake for any occasion.

Here’s what you need

All-purpose flour
Sugar
Baking soda
Salt
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Eggs
Vegetable oil
Vanilla
Granny Smith apples
Cranberries
Walnuts or pecans (optional)
Light brown sugar
Butter
Heavy cream

I appreciate all my blog supporters out there. I’m extremely flattered that anyone would be want to read what I’ve posted, and try out a recipe. You might look at my pictures or try one of my recipes and think that everything that comes out of my kitchen is magical, but that’s just not true.

Have you ever had an epic fail in the kitchen? Have you ever made several attempts at the same recipe knowing that you’re doing something wrong, but you just don’t know what? Well, guess what? Same. I have embarrassing fails in the kitchen just like every other home cook.

This recipe right here is a prime example of a string of failures. However, I kept working on it, and now I have another delicious recipe in my collection. So, if you ever feel discouraged about cooking don’t assume you’re the only one, and don’t give up!

Let’s Get Started

Start by gathering all the ingredients, making sure you have everything and nothing has expired. It’s a sad day when you get halfway through a recipe and realize that you don’t have everything you need.

Once you’ve completed that, go ahead and preheat your oven to 350 and grease a 9×13 baking dish and set it to the side until the cake batter is ready.

In a medium-sized bowl add in all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg). Whisk that all together and set it aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until they are light and foamy. Then add the vegetable oil and vanilla. Whisk that all together. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, then use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix that all together. Stir it just long enough to incorporate all the dry ingredients. The batter will be thick.

Using the same medium-sized bowl that was used for the flour mixture, add the chopped apples, cranberries, and nuts. This step is not essential, but I think it makes it easier to get them evenly distributed throughout the batter. Now add the mix-ins to the batter. Stir until they are evenly distributed. Look out for clusters of mix-ins, they like to stick together.

Transfer the batter to the prepared 9×13 baking dish, and bake for 40-45 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. See Tips & Tricks for more information on how to determine when a cake is done. Once the cake is done, remove it from the oven and set aside.

While the cake is still hot, prepare the glaze. In a medium-sized saucepan, add the light brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and heavy whipping cream. Set the heat to medium, and bring the mixture to a slow boil, stirring frequently. Keep an eye on the saucepan and let it boil slowly for 2-3 minutes until all the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour the glaze evenly over the warm cake, and let it cool completely before serving.

I think the glaze really finishes off the cake beautifully, but maybe you’re in the mood for something more along the lines of coffee cake. If that’s the case, go ahead and omit the glaze.

Tips & Tricks

Freezing cranberries: Remove any soft or discolored cranberries. Wash the remainder and let them dry completely before transferring them to a resealable plastic bag and place them in the freezer. Cranberries should be good in the freezer for up to a year.

Determining when a cake is done: Baking times can vary from oven to oven, so it’s important to know how to recognize when a cake is done. First, the edges of the cake will pull away from the sides of the baking dish. Second, the top will generally turn a nice golden-brown color. Third, the cake will give resistance and bounce back when gently tapped in the center. Fourth, a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean (with maybe a few crumbs), not sticky or covered in batter.

Do you love cake? Try my Hummingbird Cake or Angel Food Cake.